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Justice News

Department of Justice

U.S. Attorney’s Office

Eastern District of Michigan

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Wednesday, November 6, 2013

United States Attorney's OfficeTo Distribute $2 Million To Victims Of Fraud

Today, the United States Attorney’s Office announced the distribution of approximately $2,000,000 in criminally forfeited funds back to the victims of a Ponzi scheme relating to the investigation and ultimate prosecution of Dante DeMiro.

The following is a list of victims to whom restitution was ordered and to whom forfeited funds will be distributed on a pro rata basis:

United States Attorney McQuade stated, “This case reflects the way asset forfeiture is used to disgorge the ill-gotten gains from the defendant and return the funds to victims.”

Dante DeMiro, formerly of Milford, pleaded guilty to five counts of bank and wire fraud and was sentenced to ten years in federal prison. DeMiro was an investment advisor to various municipalities, credit unions, school districts, and trade unions, through his Southfield-based companies MuniVest Financial Group and MuniVest Services LLC. DeMiro used the MuniVest entities to operate a bank and wire fraud ponzi scheme. DeMiro falsely promised investor clients that he would invest their funds in various certificates of deposit. He did not invest their funds as promised, but instead, used their funds to purchase personal items and real property, to gamble, to make payments to other investors in the same scheme, and to make loans to several individuals and a local jewelry store.

"Asset Forfeiture" refers to the process of confiscating money and property that represent either proceeds of crimes or property used in the commission of crimes. The U.S. Attorney’s Office treats asset forfeiture as a priority because forfeiture is an important deterrent to criminal conduct and facilitates restitution in criminal cases that involve victims who have suffered losses.